Within the Broadlands Archives at the University of Southampton is a photograph album documenting the journey of Prince Louis of Battenberg on board HMS Inconstant that includes a visit to the Far East over Chinese New Year. Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854-1921), later Louis Mountbatten, first Marquis of Milford Haven, enrolled in the Royal Navy at the age of 14 years of age. He served in the navy for over forty years, rising to the rank of admiral and being appointed as First Sea Lord of the Admiralty in 1912.

In August 1880, the then Lieutenant Prince Louis, was posted to HMS Inconstant which was the flagship of the Flying Squadron. The ship undertook a circumnavigation of the world, sailing to South America, South Africa, Australia, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and what was then known as Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), before returning to South Africa in April 1882. Prince Louis’ photograph album contains a fascinating visual record of all of the places visited. The images from China provide a glimpse not only of the streets, gardens and architecture of Shanghai and Amoy (now Xiamen), but of the population, customs and modes of transport.